Jon Stewart Takes on Keith Olbermann One Day Too Early

by Tommy Christopher | 7:58 am, January 22nd, 2010

» 17 comments

This is what happens when your late-night show tapes at 5 in the afternoon.

On last night’s Daily Show, Jon Stewart took on Keith Olbermann‘s 3-day Scott-war against the newly-elected Republican Senator from Massachusetts, incinerating the Countdown host’s Special Comment segment along the way. In a case of life imitating art, Olbermann parodied the Special Comment hours after Stewart taped his takedown, saying that yesterday’s Supreme Court decision legalizing corporate campaign contributions was worse than the Dred Scott decision.

I’m sure we’ll see more from Stewart next Monday, but for now, enjoy his absurd take on Keith’s mannerisms, and note how familiar the first part of his bit sounds:

While Stewart misses the fact that Scott Brown did, in fact, disavow the curling iron remark, he also picked up on something that I missed: Olbermann’s own hostile rhetoric toward women with whom he disagrees.

He also nails the camera changes, the repetition for dramatic effect, and the use of the glasses as a prop. I was a little disappointed he didn’t go to a welder’s mask or swim goggles.

As for last night’s actual Special Comment, that’s another story, one that I’m sure will be re-told “fundit”-style on tonight’s Daily Show.

• Update: Olbermann reacts to Stewart’s impression, in a response to TVNewser: “It was a little bit of a ripoff of the Affleck thing, but overall, I’d give it a B-.” -SK

This isn’t the first time Keith’s Special Comment has been lampooned, but I think it’s the best. Check out Ben Affleck‘s version, and decide for yourself whose is better:

Ben Affleck, Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Citizens United Lawsuit, Countdown, daily show, Jon Stewart, Jon Stewart The Daily Show, keith olbermann, Michelle Malkin, Politics News, Scott Brown, Scott-wa, Special Comment, Supreme Court Campaign Finance, The Daily Show, Tommy Christopher

kimm

Brilliant! So well written!
“Ferhaps.” “It is beneath you. It is next to me.”
The Real Royal King

Stewart may not do news, but he certainly reads the pulse of our nation well.
sarainitaly

LOL! Love it!
Cecelia

I don’t know how you missed Olbermann’s own “hostile rhetoric towards women with whom he disagrees”, Tommy.

You had several people mention just that comment about Michelle Malkin on the three threads you started on this subject.

I know we aren’t John Stewart, but then…neither are you…
StewartIII

IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!
realitycheck

“he also picked up on something that I missed: Olbermann’s own hostile rhetoric toward women with whom he disagrees.”

Are you kidding? you missed that… maybe you need to find a different profession, or at least a better outlet for your talents, perhaps MSNBC. They don’t seem to notice either. His attitude towards women he doesn’t agree with is so long and obvious. you’re unbelievable. I’d seriously rethink about that confession in your piece.

Olbermann’s self awareness is hysterical, mostly he is addressing himself in his rants, really the joke is on him.
WriterRoss

We all know why this online space heater called Mediaite takes on Keith Olbermann every day. Jealousy, thy name is Dan Abrams. And after Mr. Olbermann called out Papa Floyd Abrams for fighting for the right-wing nutjobs who have declared this the United Corporations of America, Dan’s panties are clearly twisting in a rage of loser serum.
Pat Doherty

You’re right Olbermann shows no mercy to those evil corporate bastards, especially those soulless, light bulb-manufacturing sons of bitches General Electric. I don’t know what’s funnier: corporate newsreader Olbermann deluding himself into thinking he’s taking on big business; or the fans of corporate newsreader Olbermann believing him. It reminds me of Sony employees Rage Against the Machine pausing between songs to offer their Chomskyite ramblings, and the idiot kids in the crowd pumping their fists and shouting “Yeah, screw the Man!”
Jim R

Kudos again to Jon Stewart for holding to account both sides (interesting sideline for a comediane), Keith really needs to tone it down before he becomes a self parody.

Keith’s rant on the conservative activist Supremes selling out our democracy and ignoring Stare Decisis despite Roberts and Alito lying in their testimony that they would do no such thing, is not over the top.

As shameful as the Dred Scott decision was, this abomination will have a similarly deleterious effect on our rapidly disappearing government “of the people”.
Tommy Christopher

When I say I missed it, I mean I didn’t include it in that piece. Click the link, and you’ll see that I didn’t miss it when it happened.
RazorsEdge

Not without its partisianship:

The Dred Scott decision as Olbermann points out horrible decision. One where Olbermann calls out chief justice Roger Taney – A Democrat. In that decision, Democrats characterized Republicans as lawless. Democrates characterizing the Republican party as trouble makers for not supporting slavery.

Now, Olbermann stating SCOTUS decision yesterday with chief Justice Roberts (assuming Roberts leans right) horrible and chief justice Roberts the boogy man (along with the supreme court) in Olbermann’s rhetoric.

Olbermann calls campaign funding decision “worse” than the rights of citizenship for those of “African Descent” and that the high court had no authority to question slavery! Really?

Difference being Democratic party influenced decision vs. a Republican party influenced decision. (including the disgusting nature of the Dred Scott decision)

Mr. Olbermann, I would submit to you that perhaps you should reflect on how you judge/assess what’s “worse” in your eyes.
Jim R

RazorsEdge,

Thanks for reminding us Republicans completely gave up on minority rights and is no longer the party of Lincoln.

They quit on Reconstruction in 1877, and went ballistic when Truman integrated the military (leading to old Strom running as a Dixiecrat), then Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” of appealing to southern racists has been the Republican MO ever since.
writer

The sad thing about the SNL skit is that it wan’t so much a parody as a mirror image of what Olbermann is really like.
RazorsEdge

No Jim R,

I was commenting that Olbermann blinded by his ideology that he would insult minorities that this week’s SCOTUS decision worse that Dred Scott Decision.

But you knew that. And that’s what the article is about.

You went the Olbermann route to bring it back to partisian ideology Olbermann style.
Pat Doherty

Jim R

In 1948, Strom Thurmond was a Democrat, hence the “Dixiecrat” moniker. Your remarks suggesting the GOP going ballistic because of the Truman’s Executive Order are inaccurate. You do realize the GOP quit on Reconstruction because they made a deal with the Democrats in the 1876 election, right?
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